Aaron Embry, ‘Raven’s Song’ Live Outdoors

October 30, 2012

His piano playing alone would be worth noting for this In the Open session, but Aaron Embry has clearly distilled years of experience — collaborating with everyone from keys for Elliott Smith to production for Avi Buffalo — into something much more on his solo debut, Tiny Prayers. To wit, “Raven’s Song” remains an understated cut next to a tune like “Your Heart And Mine,” yet it carries a similarly timeless melody and message: “Oh, the Raven’s song is short but it’s strong,” he sings, “like the mind of an eager man.” Embry’s live cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “I’ll Be There in the Morning” seems fitting here: